Harbor and river bars and shoals



(No Model.)

2 Sh'eet-Sheef 1'.

R M. SCOTT. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING HARBOR AND RIVER BARS AND SHOALS.

AND PRBVENTING THE PORMATION OF SAME. No. 51o,713.

PatentedDec. 12, 1893.

m: NATIONAL LIYHEGIAFMING COMPANY,'

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

- R. M. .SGOTT. APPARATUS FORREMOVING'HARBOR AND `RIVER BARS AND SHOALS AND "PREVENTING THE PQEMATION OF SAME. No. 51.0,713.

Patented Dec. 12, '1893.

,1122162207 %Am Mim N IT gi STATES PATENT rrise.

ROBERT MEL'V'ILLE seoTT, OF BALMAIN, NEAR sYDNE-Y, NEW SOUTH WALES.

APPARATUS FOR REMVING HARBOR AND RlVER- BARS AND SHOALS AND FREVENTING THE FORMATON OF THE SAME.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,'713, dated December 12, 1893.

Application filed December 9. 1891. Serial No.414,509. (No model.)

i rivers, canals, -races, and other water courses and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the removal" of bars and shoals from harbort. and river entrances and estua'ries; to the removal of sand and mud banksand like deposits from harbors, rvers, and estuaries; to the prevention of the fornation of such bars, shoals, banks, and deposits; to the deepening and widening of rivers and creeks, and to the cutt ing and clear-ing of canals and similar watercourses through sand, clay, earth, and formationsof a like nature, and to the maintaining of a channel in rivers, canals,races, and other Watercourses in which the speed ot' the water is insufficient to carry away sand, mud, and tailings, and like solid matters which pass into the same.

That part of theinvention which relates to the removal of bars, banks, and shoals in harbors, rivers, and estuaries, and to the maintainin g of channels and watercou rses, consists in the employment of a permanent water service pipe or pipes, provided with nozzles, and set upon or underor co'ntiguous to the obstruction. The removal and clearing is effected by the action of the jets of water which are forced out' through the nozzles under pressure, and disturb, loosen, break-up, and agitate the sand, mud, silt, or other deposit, converting it into a species of quicksand or sludge and causing it to be held in suspension or floated in the water and carried away with the stream, or, if the jets should be set obliquely, in the current of water which they induee. In lieu of a permanent service a movable or temporary pipe line or lines may be provided capable of being moved about and temporarily fixed by anchoring, guying, or otherwise. Such a device is intended especially for 'Operating on bars, banks, and shoals whose position is not permanent but shifting, or through which it is required only to open or to maintain a temporary channel. In some cases I secure the service pipes to hollow floats, which are all connected to suitable pumping gear, whereby they may be filled with or discharged ot water, in order that they with their attachments might be sunk onto the place being operated upon, and lifted again to the surface as may be required. When the construction is not permanent, the joints or couplings of the service pipes are made flexible.

When a permanent channel is required through any obstruction of the kind described which is liable to' be reformed through the operation of a water scour or other natural cause, a channel is first cut to the necessary depth, or if it should be thought advantageous, deeper than is actually necessary, by means of 'apparatus of the kinddescribed or otherwise; 'and then midway, or approximately so, on the bar, bank, shoal, or other obstruction, or contiguous thereto, piles are driven to a firm footing; upon these piles the permanent service A pipes are Secured. A clear passage may be maintained through any obstruction of the kind described by pumping the water while the tide is ebbing or 'while a fairly fast outw'ard current continues to flow; The water jets will induce a current if the nozzles are fixed oblquely on the pipe, and the current thus induced will 'float or carry away by ac-V tion the solid particles which' have been forced up by the jets. During the flow of the tide, and while the water is sluggish, pumping may be discontinued, and're-eommenced 9 5 at the turn of -the tide or the start of the stream. Where the -obst'ructions are not quickly formed it may be found suflicient to carry on pumping Operations periodically.

When continuous pumping is not' maintained, clack valves may be fitted to the nozzlcs; and when pumping is discontinued the pi pes are exhausted of air so as to form a total or partial vacuum within them, whereby the valves are made to close tight and prevent the entrance of mud, sand and like matters into the pipes.

In Operating upon a bar, shoal, bank, or other deposit of considerable length and area, I prefer to use two or more service pipes each connected to separate sources of supply, so that any one of them can be operated independently of the others. In this way it is possible to confine operations to any particular section. i

here a stream or race or water course runs too slowly to carry off the solid matter which passes into it, a pipe is laid into the bed and pumping carried on continuously or at intervals as may be required; an artificial bottom current of considerable speed is thus induced which sweeps the solid matter toward the end of the pipe toward which the jets are directed.

In cases where the service pipe is of considerable length or where it is armed with a large number of nozzles, feeder pi pes may be led into it at convenient points.

The pressure under which the water is forced may vary within wide limits. Deposits of material of very light gravity may be removed by comparatively light streams of water under light pressnre; but banks and shoals of naterial of heavy gravity Will require a considerable quantity of water under high pressure.

The nozzles on pipes may be set so as to discharge jets of water at right angles to the length of the pipe, or at any desired angle relatively thereto, either up or down stream.

The number and size of the nozzles and their` disposition may also be varied. The pipes shown in the drawings are armed withnozzles on both sides and on the top.

The most advantageous and economical method of application of the invention in any particular case will depend upon local circumstancesiand requirements, and the precise method enployed of carrying out the invention may therefore be varied within wide limits according to the judgment of a person sufficiently skilled.

YVhile my invention is primarily designed to operate on submerged earth formations such as sand banks bars and the bottoms of channels which have filled up, cases might arise in which it could be advantageously applied to the removal of earth which is not submerged. Its greater value, however, is in its first application, in assisting and directing the action of natural forces in stirring up the bottom of a moving body of water so that the natural flow of the current can carry off the material.

While I have illnstrated but one water forcing apparatus, namely, a steam pump,

others might be used, such as a natural water power, a tide mili, the flowof imponnded tide water, &0.

Referring to the an nexed sheet of explanatory drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a rver mouth showing the general arrangement of the clearing pipes and their position upon the bar; Fig. 2 a section showing a permanent pipe line; Fig. 3, a section showing a floatng pipe line. Fig. 4: is a side elevation, enlarged, of a fiexible jointed pipe; Fig. 5 asdeelevation of a fragment of a service pipe with an auxiliary feed pipe, and shows the method of Operating service pipe. Fig. 6 s a transverse section through the pipe and sleeper shown in the previous figure. Fig. 7 1s a de- `tail view ot' a nozzle showing the outwardly opening valve. Fig. 8 is a modification in which the air pipes are connected to the highest portion of each fioat.

The arrangement of pipes as shownin F g. l of the drawings nay be varied at will. The service pipes as shown in Figs. land 2 are provided with nozzles, such as 8 Fg. 4:, ;which are set obliquely so as to delver the `jets of water angnlarly and thus, While disturbing and breaking up the sand, m OP `other deposit, they produce an artiical under current which sweeps the broken up sub- `stances toward the end of the pipe.

In the arrangement shownin Fig. 3, 2 are boxes, barrels or like hollow floats; 3, an air pipe; 4, flexible connecting pipes; 5, hanging chains; 6, a service pipe5 7, flexble couplmgs;

LS, nozzles; 9, bank` or shoal being operated upon. The fiexible pipes 4 which connect the boxes are so arranged that when pressure is applied the water is driven out of each vessel successively, thus floating it, and when pressnre is withdrawn or vacuumformed, the water may enter each successively and snk t. 16, is the pumping station. In laying such a system, the vessels, empty, are fioated into position, with the service pipes Suspended by the chains, clam ps, or like attachments 5, and then the vessels are allowed to fill and sink into the position shown. The number and sizepf the jets may be varied with the descript on of work being done. W`hen the obstruction s slow forming, a few jets maybe found ample; but when the quantity tobe removed s considerable, a proportionate water service must be used. 20 are the Sinking tanks. 19 is the steam pump, which connects with both the nozzles and the tanks.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, 10 is a service pipe; ll a bearer of sleeper; 12 a perforated pipe or casing secured to the under part of the sleeper; 13 orifices tlierein; 14: a supply pipe leading thereto; 18, an auxiliary feed pipe to main water pipe. XVhen water under press- IOO IIO

connected. When branch ppes are to be added to mains already existing they are sunk in a similar manner. 4 I

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the water in all the floats 2, has to pass out through that fioat farthest from the pumping' station, so that the floats are emptied and rise successively, beginning with that one nearest to the pumping station.

In the modification shown in Figi 9, the air pipes are connected to the highest portion of each fioat, and each float is provided with an outlet 15, at its lowest portion. When the air pressure 'is put on, 'the water is simultaneously forced out of each fioat through the openings 15, and they rise simultaneously. In each of the nozzles maybe placed a spring valve, 17, opening outward.

The method of Operating my in vention has been clearly set forth in the preceding portions of the specification. V

Although I have described and illustrated several constructions of apparatus to be employed in the carrying out of my invention, and make specific claims for such apparatus, I would have' it understood thatI donot in any way restrict myself to the use thereot precisely as set forth.

I am aware that it is well known that earth banks may be cut down and swept away by the action of jets of water under press ure directed against them, such a method being commonly known as hydraulickingf and therefore I Wish the claiming clanses following to be read restrictively in so far as such previous knowledge would prevent a broad interpretation beingallowed them.,

Having, therefore, described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to'protect by Letters Patent, is

1. The combnation of a submerged system of stationary water pipes, a plurality of nozzles arranged along each pipe and allslanting toward one end thereof, together with a water forcing apparatus connected with said system, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a submerged pipe, 

